*ADELINE*
As I stepped closer to Robert Taylor Senior, I tried to project an unwavering confidence, but inside, a whirlwind of emotions whirled madly. My heart raced like a runaway horse, and there was a gnawing dread in my stomach. He had always been a man of power in my youth—a man I had respected, and now here he was, reduced to a pitiful figure beneath the golden chandeliers, his sight filled with a debasing hunger as he openly assessed me.
He blinked at me in confusion, an expression that should have been reassuring but felt more like a hunt as his gaze wandered down my form. It was sickening. I felt an urge to shudder, but shoved it deep down. Instead, I straightened my back, reminding myself of why I was here. "I want the jewel, Robert," I demanded, using his name instead of hi
